The drive to increase data transfer speeds and include high-bandwidth channels in server platforms has presented several challenges. For example the thermal specifications of such server platforms are growing increasingly stringent due to the increased power dissipation. Approximately 80% of the thermal power from the central processing unit (CPU) in such server platforms may be dissipated through an integrated heat spreader (IHS) that is formed over the CPU. The dissipation of the thermal power through the IHS may result in the operating temperature of the IHS to be between approximately 70° C. and 100° C. under standard operating conditions. The remaining thermal power is dissipated through the package on which the CPU is mounted. Accordingly, the temperature increase of the package may be significant even when an IHS is used.
Increases in the temperature of the package can cause several issues. For example, future server or microserver architectures may include radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) for wireless interconnects that are mounted on the same package as the CPU. However, RFICs are temperature-sensitive. The sensitivity to temperature causes the radio output power of the RFICs to drift with the temperature. As such, increases in the temperature of the package due to the thermal dissipation from the CPU will result in changes to the radio output power.
Current solutions for dealing with the increased temperature of the package have significant drawbacks. A first proposed solution to the problem is to increase the distance between the RFIC and the CPU. Spacing the two components further from each other reduces the amount of heat that is dissipated from the CPU to the RFIC through the package substrate. However, the increased spacing between the components necessitates the use of more real estate on the package, and therefore, increases the cost. An additional solution would allow for reduced real estate utilization, but would require temperature sensing capabilities on the RFIC in addition to the use of on-the-fly calibration techniques within the RFIC. These additions would increase the complexity of the RFIC and result in an increased power dissipation as well. Accordingly, there is a need for additional ways to control the temperature of a package that includes RFICs.